ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY: The Best Friend of my Youth was BORN!

I have said before that I had a pretty excellent adolescence (at least socially), and most of my excellent adventures took place with my pal, Susan. We were pretty much inseparable through high school and had a lot of fun. Susan is 6 days my junior and turns 34 today, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SU! Here's to happy memories of coca cola, tabasco sauce, stake dances, the Opal, the shed, Gene Travis Shanks and his crazy made up songs and socks full of change for us to take to the mall, Sally-Lee's patience and love of Elvis and chauffeuring us around town before we could drive, good and bad boyfriends, MTV all-nighters, taping videos and Young Ones episodes for me, becoming Monkees fans in 1986, growing up and going our separate ways and staying friends.

Jamie & Susan, 1991

BATHING CUTIES

Last night Richard and I went to Billings to go to the temple, which is at least a 6-hour round trip. We missed the girls, so we bought them little rubber duckies at Cost Plus World Market and gave them to them this morning. Grandma Rosalie told me the girls had baths last night, so I wouldn't let them try out their new ducks in the tub. Instead, I pulled up a chair to the sink and gave them some water in which to float the ducks. A few minutes later, I came back to the kitchen and they were IN the sink--the little stinkers! Here are the pix their daddy took at about 8am. I guess they're squeaky clean now!

Prego Amnesia

It is so crazy how you totally forget certain things about being pregnant, and then when you are again, you're like, "OH, YEAH--THIS!!" Like how I am a total SLUG the first trimester and can't remember ANYTHING. I fall asleep if I ever sit still (driving is a challenge), and now I have this stuffy nose that I had with both other pregnancies. So I have to keep tissues by the bed, but I still sleep with my mouth open, which also means I need water and lip balm by the bed, which then means I have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, which means I have to climb the stairs because the downstairs Bath isn't done yet. And by the way, WHY do I have to pee every half hour when the baby is the size of a pinhead? What's the deal with that? Anyway, I kinda didn't believe the pregnancy test, but now that we're almost to week 6, I'm feelin' it. Hence, lame blogging.

Last Week's Apple Family Night

On Monday, Sept. 19th, we went and picked apples off our gazillion trees at the ranch, and the Carter family came, too!
Cousin Danny, Addie, & Heidi pick apples up off the ground.
Heidi's job is to make sure the apples are delicious.

Heidi, Addie, & Danny collect apples while the grown ups shake the tree.
Addie got LOTS of apples!
Addie & Danny played hunter in the field

(where there are usually deer, antelope, & bears)

OOPS! That's Colton Carter sideways in a tree!
Aunt Angie & Heidi
Nicole & Terry Carter with Apple boxes

Moriah Carter and Mom Melin picking up apples off the ground.
Awww...tired Heidi & Rich
Happy Heidi & Sleepy Addie

That's me...1972.

THIRTY FOUR

Well, it's over. The party's been had, the gifts opened, the news spread...I'm settling into 34. I took this close up to examine my face at 34, to look at wrinkles and scars. Interesting. My face is all slopey and I can still see the very first wrinkle I noticed on my 26th birthday--it's the laugh line on my left, your right. Hmm. All I can tell is everything is sagging, but it's all good. I have my health and a bun in the oven, so no complaints! Big thanks to my in-laws for such a nice evening (Cuban Barbecue)!

My sis asked about the girls' reactions to the baby news. Well, Heidi doesn't get it of course, but she is absolutely MAD about babies. Addie--well, the conversation went like this: We were sorting through my stationery, and we found a little boy's bday card with a train on it and she said, "Oh, we can save this for my baby brother!" (she has been talking about her baby brother for 10 months). I smiled and said, "Know what? There's a baby in my tummy! Maybe it will be brother!" In her cute little dramatic way she leaned over and hugged me and said, "Oh, mommy! I am so happy for the baby in your tummy! I love it! I love my baby brother!" And she keeps hugging my belly and saying, "I love my baby!" It's pretty fun. They are just the BEST kids--I am so loving them right now (maybe because they are SLEEPING ALL NIGHT IN THEIR OWN BEDS!!! Another good bday thing!)

My Very Best Present

No. 3 ETA: May 27, 2006

Who Wouldn't Want ANOTHER One of These?

Heidi was patting Addie on the head today & they were laughing SO hard!!!

Birthday Haircut

AFTER: Mama got her haircut...but she looks even scarier!
BEFORE: Semi-Bimbo-ish Summer Blonde, fried ends...

I know it looks like I got them mixed up, but I actually had my hair darkened this time so I don't have to continue the horrendous touch-up schedule for highlights, trying to hide the fact that my hair gets darker with every pregnancy (and my feet get bigger, too). You can see that my hair is now it's natural non-descript ash-blonde color, I have a cowlick that ALWAYS makes bangs a bad idea, and it lost about an inch in a trim. SASSAY. Thank you, Wonder-Hubby!

Three and a Half More Shopping Days...

...until my BIRTHDAY! On Saturday I turn 34!!! Which means my little adopted sister Abby turns 6 and my Auntie M turns...well, let's just say I was born on her 17th birthday! :) My present from Rich is a nice HAIRCUT, etc at Root 66 tomorrow. I'll post before and after pictures.

I gotta go tend to my poor injured Heidi. She took several falls at the park today, the last of which was a header off a 2-1/2-foot planter, which banged up her angel face! Porecita--such tough age, learning to walk and climb and judge distances! Plus, I gotta play Go Fish with Addie, too! So more later...

Unnatural Disaster

On Thursday 9/15, the city was repairing a gas line and they blew up this house. It belonged to a woman in our church—she is Addie’s Sunbeam teacher and her oldest son is Rich’s best friend from childhood. Her youngest son is 19 and he was napping on the living room floor when the house blew up. The blast woke him up and he had to just crawl toward the light he saw through the tunnel of debris that fell on him when the roof caved in. He was treated for lots of second degree burns all over his body. It's a miracle he got out! Here's another miracle--there was debris for blocks, but on Friday when Diane went down to look around, she found her wedding ring (she is a widow). So we are grateful that Brad is alive and hopefully he will heal with no scars and they will get a nice settlement and a new house.

All of this happened during playgroup last Thursday and I happened to be hosting. We heard the sirens while the kids were playing in the back yard, and then a few minutes later the phone started to ring. Wow. So there were like 5 other moms here at my house and we started talking about this and how you could possibly be prepared for a disaster like this. I mean, we've got CDs of our scanned documents, photos, and home movies in a safe deposit box, but what if the bank burns down, too? We've got the food and water storage, first aid kits, camping gear, warm clothing, emergency transporatation and energy sources--those are great for flood, tornado, truckers' strike, war, etc.--but in an accident like this one, it's all ashes. I mean, Brad didn't even have SHOES! They only had the clothes on thier backs. It makes you (a) really think about your own life and preparedness and (b) really want to help and fix things for your unfortunate neighbors (although this may turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to them-- who knows?)

More Park Pix

The girls are at such great ages right now--"delightful" is the word. Of course, there is opposition in all things, so the bad is pretty bad, too, but, oh, they are so much fun and so cute (most of the time).

More Flower Pix

These pictures make me think of that song by the Primitives, "Through the Flowers." I don't know what kind of flower they are, but they are everywhere. These are taken on a median in a roundabout at the park.

New Blog

I just started a new blog for my missionary brother, Michael. You can check it by clicking here or it will be permanently linked over to your right in my links list. Enjoy! :)

Sweet Adeline: 3 Years, 9 Months & 26 Days Old

Yesterday the girls had check ups and Addie weighs 42 pounds and is 42 inches tall. He little self-made hair do is growng out nicely and her cute cowlick shows again. She sings beautifully, has cute dimples, and can write 3 of the 4 letters in her name. We had fun playing at Sacajawea park today--a perfect fall day!

Happy Heidi: 1 Year, 5 Months, & 1 Day Old

Heidi weighed in at 28- 1/2 pounds and is 33 inches tall. Isn't that kind of an uber-toddler? She's a snuggly cutie pie! She also had fun at the park, although she always climbs too high and runs too fast for mom (and she ate the flower we were going to give to Grandma!) Favorite new phrase Heidi can say: "I Gonna Gitchoo!"

PS: (3 hours later) I just looked up ht & wt averages and Heidi's not so huge afterall-- 18m=32" ht and 25 lb wt. For a four-year-old, the average is 41 1/2" ht and 39 lb wt. Hmmm. They just look older than they are...or maybe all the kids around here are mini's.

Stare Decisis

I am insanely busy with no time to blog, but I just wanted to say I have been listening to the confirmation hearings while I work, and I just started reading Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.'s "The Common Law," and I am (a) totally in love with our judicial system--er, on paper, anyway, and (b) totally in awe of Justice Roberts' dizzying command of the law. Would that I were so articulate--on ANY subject! No matter what your political stance, you must admit there's one brilliant legal mind. I was simply riveted to NPR coverage today. Wow. I've gotta finish my book so I can try to keep up!

PS: Click for the Word of the Day

Hilarious Heidi

Look at the angelic little mug! She's sweet, but don't be deceived--she was waking up Addie!
Yesterday we finally mostly-cleaned out the baby room (where Heidi will be sleeping until she learns to go to bed with out screeching) and Heidi found Addie's old pumpkin costume hat. She also found some Craisins in an old church activity bag, so she put on her hat, grabbed some snacks, and got on her horse (which we stole from a garage sale at the ranch). Giddyup, Heidi Punkinhead!
Happy Trails!

"But I'm Not Tired..."

Today was one of our first cold, fall-ish days, so after some yard work, we 3 girls had lunch and snuggled up for quiet time. Addie didn't want to go on her bed to read, because she wasn't tired. So much for that. There she is , 90 minutes later, snuggled up in her room!

Guess What We Did Today!?!

What a difference an hour and fifty minutes makes! Yay for grass!

Please: Stop Talkin' and Start Walkin'

I feel the need to articulate my position in what has become known as "The Blame Game." Here it is via comments at Brooks' site.

Dear Brooks: Your last post and this first comment illustrate the reason why I am a conservative-bordering-on-libertarian. I can do a much better job managing my money and resources than the federal government EVER will, so just gimme those dang taxes back and I will live off of MY savings, MY retirement, MY food storage, and MY 72-hour emergency kit. My family and my church will ALWAYS be a more efficient means of security and rescue than the freaking government.

Jamie -- TRUE DAT all the way girl. I have been thinking the same thing about the Government. Give me my damn money back and lets just play 'everyone fend for themselves' I never thought that I would begin to understand the mentality of people that hate the government and start militias, but after this week I feel differently. Dubyah's good-ole-boy buddy as the head of FEMA held his last job as the commissioner of an arabian horse association? They're pointing at the other guy with one hand and scratching their butts with the other. Such an embarrassment!


Girl, you know it's true! Watch out Brooks, or you're gonna have to move to Montana with the rest of us crazy libertarians! You can write your manifesto and start your militia right down the valley...

I would love to be in Montana right now. It's been one of those weeks where it hurts having my parents so far away. I just can't believe what I've seen with my own eyes down at our civic center. People, children, have lived through hell this week in New Orleans. The looks on their faces breaks my heart, but I know they need help and I am glad that our community is here to do that.

There are several people/institutions to blame for this mismanagement and, really, no one to blame. Don’t blame the federal government---it’s NOT THEIR JOB! Remember, “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty”? It doesn’t say PROVIDE the general welfare or PROTECT and PREVENT natural disasters. It’s common sense, people. Who knows better what your town needs—your senator or your mayor? Your governor or the president? Logistically it doesn’t even BEGIN to make sense to expect the feds to plan and execute emergency preparedness from region to region (only the church can do that! ). So SHUT UP and go help some people, will ya?

Pobrecita!

We were so busy with the yard and housekeeping/cleaning this week, we must have gone up and downthe stairs a million times. Heidi tried to follow me up on Tuesday afternoon, but she just couldn't make it! She crashed at the bottom and stayed asleep for another hour or so (I moved her to a bed, of course)! Poor tired girl!

Last of the Weekend Pictures

We had big Labor Day plans, but the yard has eclipsed all of them, so we'll just enjoy the memories from Saturday...*sigh*

Uncle Mike, Grandma Rosalie, and Heidi coming ashore
All Aboard!

Kai, Addie, Summer, TJay, Danny after dinner at Fiesta en Jalisco--Yum, yum!
Grandpa and TJay at the ranch
Swimmin' fools at Chico on Friday Night

TJay, Summer, Kelli, Heidi, Molly Hite Christensen, Kai, Danny, Angie, Addie, Kelli's friend Joanie